FINGERING THE BLAME
Prince Andrew’s pals claim infamous photo with his arms round Epstein’s sex slave is FAKE because he has FATTER fingers
PRINCE Andrew’s friends say a picture in which he has his hands around a victim of Jeffrey Epstein is a FAKE because he has fatter fingers in real life.
Virginia Roberts was 17 when she was pictured with the Duke of York at the London home of Epstein’s friend Ghislaine Maxwell.
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Mum-of-three Roberts has alleged that she was procured by Ghislaine Maxwell , who was Epstein’s ex-lover, to work as a 'sex slave', a claim she has strenuously denied.
Roberts, 36, who now uses her married surname Giuffre, alleges that she slept with the Duke of York three times – which he has denied,
But sources close to the Queen’s 59-year-old second son have hit back at her claims and cast doubt on the photograph.
One told the Evening Standard the Prince has “absolutely no recollection” of the picture and can’t remember meeting her.
“Look at his fingers in the photo. The duke has quite chubby fingers, they don’t look right and nor does the height of the duke and the girl,” said the source.
“I understand his legal team have asked to have proper sight of the original photograph so they can carry out their own investigation as they seriously doubt its veracity.”
The source told the paper Miss Roberts' account of meeting him in London has “inconsistencies”.
“Claims that Miss Roberts went to Tramp nightclub in London with the duke and he was drinking cocktails with her are just not true.
“The duke doesn’t drink, he is teetotal, anyone who really knows him knows that.
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Another senior source added: "Many close to the duke, who know him well, believe this is witch-hunt based on absolutely no evidence."
A strained looking Duke has been pictured playing golf in the Costa del Sol today as pressure mounts over his relationship with disgraced paedophile Epstein.
Outside New York's Southern District court in Manhattan, Ms Roberts said of Andrew: “He knows what he has done and he can attest to that.
“He knows exactly what he's done - and I hope he comes clean about it.”
In an unprecedented move, US District Judge Richard Berman let 16 of Epstein's alleged victims to give harrowing impact statements in person after prosecutors dropped charges against him following his suicide.
Lawyers also tore into the Prince's denials over recent days - in which Andrew has insisted he had no knowledge of Epstein's perversions.
Virginia's lawyer Brad Edwards said he had extended invitations to Andrew to answer "real questions" over the scandal.
Who is Virginia Roberts?
- Mum-of-three Virginia Roberts , now Virginia Giuffre, 36, has alleged that she was procured Ghislaine Maxwell - Epstein’s ex-lover - to work as a 'sex slave'
- Ms Roberts alleges she met Ms Maxwell while working at Donald Trump's Mar-aLago resprt in Florida.
- Legal documents from a 2015 defamation case - released the day before Epstein killed himself - featured claims that Prince Andrew slept with Ms Roberts three times.
- The Duke of York strongly denies the allegations of sexual misconduct made against him.
- Giuffre says her account is '99 per cent true' but her own former lawyers have described it as 'fictionalised.'
- She claims she first met royal dad-of-two Prince Andrew on a trip to London in 2001 when she was 17 and Epstein and Maxwell were also there.
Mr Edwards said: “With respect to Prince Andrew or anyone else who has made a gratuitous statement, if anyone who wants to come over here and talk to us and answer real questions that the victims have and that we have on their behalf we welcome that.
“I’ve personally extended that invitation to Prince Andrew multiple times.
“Any time we are ready and we have a lot of questions for him.”
Another of Virginia’s lawyers, David Boies, added: “Anybody can deny things in a printed statement.
“It’s a different thing to come here, answer questions under oath, subject to cross examination.
";Those are the kinds of answers that we are eventually going to get.”
Prince Andrew released a statement this week condemning his former pal - who he had been pictured staying with in New York in 2010.
Buckingham Palace said the Duke of York would help authorities in any investigations into the disgraced millionaire.
Andrew said: "It is apparent to me since the suicide of Mr Epstein that there has been an immense amount of media speculation about so much in his life.
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"This is particularly the case in relation to my former association or friendship with Mr Epstein. Therefore I am eager to clarify the facts to avoid further speculation.
"I met Mr Epstein in 1999. During the time I knew him, I saw him infrequently and probably no more than only once or twice a year. I have stayed in a number of his residences.
"At no stage during the limited time I spent with him did I see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction."
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Jeffrey Epstein’s sex slave victims arrive at court to reveal harrowing details of paedo’s abuse
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